NHTSA Complaint #10145501 — 2006 JEEP COMMANDER 4X2

I WAS DRIVING MY NEW 2006 JEEP COMMANDER, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 6 CYL ENGINE. I AM 6'4.25" TALL AND WEIGH 205 LBS. I HAVE PROPORTIONATELY SIZED LIMBS AND APPENDAGES. I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH ON A ROAD NEAR MY HOUSE AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR TURNED OFF. THE KEY WAS BRUSHED BY MY KNEE AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY QUIT. THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO FIT IN THE SEAT AND PUT THE SEAT FAR ENOUGH BACK THAT THERE IS NO RISK OF THE KEY TURNING OFF WHILE STILL LETTING MY ARMS REACH THE WHEEL. THE KEY PROTRUDES DIRECTLY PERPENDICULARLY OUT OF THE DASH, INTERCEPTING MY KNEE DEAD ON FROM THE FRONT. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR OVER 100 MILES BEFORE THIS EVER HAPPENED. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS MORNING. COME TO THINK OF IT, THE NEW JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE THAT MY FRIEND HAS, THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO. THE PLACEMENT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH, COMBINED WITH ITS ANGLE ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE SLIGHTLY LARGE SIZE OF THE KEY FOB MAKE THIS A BIG RISK FOR TALLER DRIVERS LIKE MYSELF. THE KEY ONLY BARELY HAS TO BE GRAZED (I COULD NOT FEEL IT HAPPENING) AND THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF (WHILE IN MOTION!) AND HAS TO BE PUT INTO PARK IN ORDER TO BE RESTARTED. I THINK THAT EVENTUALLY SOMEONE WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT KEEPING CONTROL OF THEIR CAR WHEN IT UNITENTIONALLY SHUTS OFF ON THEM, NOW IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES WITHIN ABOUT 200 MILES, AND LIKE I SAID, THERE IS NO PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE WAY FOR ME TO ADJUST THE SEAT SO THAT MY ARMS REACH THE WHEEL AND ME KNEE DOES NOT REACH THE KEY. THIS SEEMS DANGEROUS AND I WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY SO THAT CHRYSLER CAN MODIFY THE DESIGN OF EITHER THE KEY FOB OR THE IGNITION SWITCH IN ORDER TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM CAUSING DAMAGE TO THEMSELVES OR THEIR VEHICLE. THANKS, RYAN WEATHERBY. *NM